Wang alleges that his wife, Ma Rong, had an affair with his agent Song Zhe, hid and transferred property, and "hurt his family members."[Photo/IC]

CHINESE ACTOR Wang Baoqiang announced he was getting a divorce on China's micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo on Sunday, accusing his wife of having an affair with his agent. Beijing News commented on Monday:

Wang's announcement immediately divided opinions. Many sided with him, criticizing his wife for being unfaithful, while others questioned his decision to air his dirty laundry in public.

Those who hold dear "traditional marital values" sympathized with Wang, because in their eyes, an affair like this is immoral and the cheaters deserve to be exposed and judged and found guilty in the court of public opinion. That explains why a considerable number of netizens denounced and even cursed his wife in the comment section of Wang's post.

However, some criticized Wang for making his wife's affair public knowledge, especially as airing the family's dirty laundry in public may harm the couple's children. Such views, to some extent, highlight society's changing attitude toward marriage.

That said, some overzealous netizens on both sides went too far and overstepped the boundaries in their criticism of the parties concerned.

The real issue, however, is the way in which the actor broke the news of his impending divorce to the public. While seeking to stand on the moral high ground, the actor sought to win sympathy by making public what should have remained a private matter. And it should be borne in mind that his is only one side of the story.

For Wang and his wife, this is a personal matter, which should be kept between themselves. There are different ways they may choose to say goodbye to each other. If they can reach a deal in private about the division of family assets, they may end their relationship peacefully. They may otherwise go to the court. It is inappropriate for Wang to sling mud on his wife in such a manner.